Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has said the era of temporarily deploying soldiers and other security personnel to galamsey sites is over.
e noted that government has resolved to permanently station these security personnel including soldiers to galamsey sites to prevent illegal miners from returning to their destructive activities.
Speaking in an interview on TV3’s Hot Issues, Sunday, October 12, 2025, the Minister explained that a first batch of 400 troops have been trained and ready to be deployed to specific galamsey sites to be on guard at these areas.
He revealed that the Ministry through assistance from the Finance Ministry has been able to acquire the necessary logistics such as motorbikes, vehicles and tents that the troops need for their operations at the galamsey sites.
“What we are saying is that, this past approach of bringing soldiers in, driving them out and then when they (soldiers) leave, they (illegal miners) come back is over.
“We have begun the process of training the troops. The initial 400 has completely been trained, the rankings have been done and the regions and critical zones have been identified and we are now beginning the process of the logistics to deploy them. Yesterday, we got delivery of a lot of vehicles and motorbikes that they need for these places.
“We have just secured some tents that will be used and we believe that we are going to deploy them permanently. This is the commitment of this government in the fight against illegal mining,” he disclosed.
He mentioned that these personnels will be deployed to River Ankobra, Pra, galamsey sites in the Ashanti Region as well other places declared security zones by the government.
The Minister urged all ministries, agencies and Ghanaians to be involved in the fight against galamsey.
“As I said this Ministry (Lands Ministry) is more of a coordinating Ministry when it comes to the fight against illegal mining. Every Ghanaian and agency, Ministry is involved,” he stressed.
Commenting about the involvement of some Chiefs in illegal mining, the Minister said “I’m one of the people that revere our Chiefs but we are getting to the place where we have to make sure that our revered institution of Chieftaincy is protected in a way that if you are Chief and you break the law and you add to the problems I have described, frankly, you are not supposed to be hailed as a Chief. We are getting to that place.”
He added: “We have been pampering too many people in this system. I am talking about a crisis that is going to kill all of us.”
The Director of Communications at the Ministry, Mawusi Ama Mawuenyefia has also disclosed that the Attorney-General is prosecuting close to 1500 cases of illegal mining which are currently at various stages of prosecution.
Speaking to the media on Friday, October, 10, 2025, she said the arrests which were made by the National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat within the last nine months demonstrates government’s will to the fight.
“We have also confiscated some changfang machines, some heavy-duty water pumps, some generators, some Land Cruiser vehicles, shovels, pick axes, mobile phones, Indian hemp, mercury, torchlight and a whole lot of things.
“We are also clear to say the law is the law and if you break the law, there will be consequences. We have seen some several arrests over the period. We are talking close to 1500 arrests over the period and the Attorney-General is working on prosecutions,” she stated.
Source:Lovinghananews.com
